Reunion
by Ikari666
Summary: More than five years after the averted Third Impact, someone from Shinji's past comes to Tokyo–2 looking for him.


Disclaimer: Gainax owns NGE, in case you didn't know.

Reunion

Near the city limits of Tokyo-2, a woman wandered into   
the streets. Her eyes surveyed the empty street before   
drifting to a printout she held tightly in her left hand. On the   
paper were various names and addresses. And attached   
to it with a paperclip, there was a copy of a photograph of   
a young man of twenty years. The photo became more   
visible as the morning's light peeked over the city's   
buildings. She looked at the picture of the brown-haired,   
blue-eyed man fondly before continuing deeper into the   
city.

It had been more than five years since the end of the   
Angel War, as people all over the world liked to call it.   
Everyone in the world knew of how NERV came under   
attack a while after the destruction of Evangelion Unit-00.   
And the decent of the nine mass produced Evangelions.

At first, the invasion of NERV came easily for the   
JSSDF. As NERV was made up mainly of technicians, few   
of the employees had any real experience with combat   
situations such as that. Things looked grim for NERV. Until   
the red Evangelion Unit-02 rose from one of the lakes.

Unit-02 moved slowly, deliberately. It took out whatever   
military opposition that dared stood in its way.

Then... The Eva Series dropped from the sky. Nine   
massive white robots, each with an evil grin set on their   
gruesome faces. They each held a bladed weapon of   
some sort. They all took a few moments to circle and   
consider the red Unit-02 before touching down.

Unit-02 was obviously outmatched, and its power cable   
had been severed already. That gave it only a few minutes   
of energy. But, it rose to the challenge. It swiftly took care   
of the first few Mass Produced Evangelions. It fought on   
valiantly, but was felled by a weapon that tore through its   
seemingly unbreakable barrier, known only as an AT-Field.   
The weapon was stopped at first, but then it started to shift   
and morph. Its new form sliced through the AT Field and   
pierced the head of the Eva, clean through its right set of   
eyes. Soon after, its power reserves gave out and it fell   
limply being held above the ground by the weapon that   
went so smoothly through its head.

Then, the unthinkable. The defeated MP Evas rose and   
took to the sky.

Through a sheer show of will the downed Unit-02   
began to move again. It started to reach up to the airborne   
Evas, but was met with eight spears. They skewered the   
Eva through the stomach.

To assure the incapacitation of Unit-02, the MP Evas   
descended upon the vanquished mecha. They viciously   
tore it apart using their jaws.

It seemed that NERV had breathed its last.

Just after the Eva Series had finished their meal, the   
purple Evangelion Unit-01 rose from the ruins of the NERV   
pyramid. Its eyes glowed with an unholy light. It looked   
very much the demon fresh from hell. It let out an   
anguished howl as it spied the remains of Unit-02 being   
carted off by two of the white MP Evas. That is, until all the   
Evas turned their attention to Unit-01. The two carrying   
Unit-02 discarded it without a second thought. With a   
splash, it landed in the lake. With a mighty roar Unit-01   
grew wings of pure energy and took flight. And so began   
the gruesome battle.

The woman shuddered as she recalled the battle. She   
saw the publicized tapes that were scraped together from   
footage from the NERV camera towers that managed to   
stay standing. The fight was unnervingly one-sided.   
Unit-01 literally tore the Eva Series apart. Many people,   
including herself, weren't able to watch the entire recording   
the whole way through without throwing up. But, the most   
awe-inspiring part of the video was what happened   
afterwards. As soon as the fight ended, the second the last   
white Evangelion hit the ground, Unit-01 dove for the lake.   
It came up a minute later, cradling a white cylindrical   
object. The bio-mecha that seemed so violent, so driven by   
bloodlust, held the tube with the same gentleness that a   
child would hold a little butterfly. With the utmost care, the   
giant robot set it down. The Evangelion then laid on its side   
as a similar tube slid out of its back. Out came Shinji Ikari,   
Third Children, pilot of Evangelion Unit-01, champion of the   
human race. He ran for the tube that lay on the ground.   
After the boy opened the access hatch, he stayed there for   
the two hours it took for help to arrive.

For the first few months after, Shinji Ikari became a   
household name. Everyone knew the savior of the world,   
destroyer of Angels. But, for the most part, Shinji tried to   
shy away from the limelight. Soon after, SEELE had been   
found out as the conspirators behind the Eva Series and   
had been accused of trying to initiate Third Impact.   
Chairman Lorenz Keel and the other members of SEELE   
were arrested and sentenced to life of imprisonment. 

As for NERV, it was disbanded. Many of the remaining   
NERV employees escaped the hectic life of the military   
and found new callings. Everything having to do NERV   
and the Evas were destroyed, save the MAGI computer   
system. NERV Commander, Gendo Ikari, was never seen   
again.

The First Children, Rei Ayanami, was officially declared   
dead. Killed in the battle with the Sixteenth Angel. Though,   
someone matching her description had been known to   
have been seen around the rebuilt Tokyo-3, living with   
former NERV tech, Maya Ibuki.

The Second Children, Asuka Langely Sohryu, was in a   
coma for months after the final battle.

The Third Children, Shinji Ikari, disappeared from   
Tokyo-3 after the uproar of the averted Third Impact   
subsided and he'd attended the obligatory news   
conferences and suffered through various interviews.

The woman smiled at the memories of the broadcasts   
she'd seen. Shinji had looked so nervous. She would have   
been able to tell the Shinji would've given anything to be   
somewhere else, even if she hadn't known him so well.

She took another glance at the picture attached to her   
printout. The cute boy she had known, so many years ago   
was no longer cute. He was downright handsome. The   
curves of his face had taken on harder edges, but only   
served to reflect the maturity that one could've already   
sees in his weathered eyes. She'd never told him that,   
though, she just liked being with him. A tear came to her   
eye as old memories flooded her mind. They all went back   
to one person. "Shinji-kun..."

[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]

Shinji Ikari groaned as he reached out to shut off the   
alarm at his bedside. Slowly, made his way out of bed and   
into the shower.

He never took baths anymore. Despite what his old   
guardian said about baths cleansing the mind and soul, he   
couldn't do it. His mind wandered while he was in the bath,   
to memories of his past. Before, his mind was only plagued   
with the pain of being abandoned by his father, or the loss   
of his mother. Now, in his mind's eye, he saw death. The   
death of Rei Ayanami, the enigma the constantly eluded   
him, because she vowed to protect him. The death of   
Kaworu Nagisa, one of the few people that loved him,   
because he had to die to spare the human race. And the   
death of Misato Katsuragi, the woman who filled the hole   
left by his mother's passing, because he needed the   
chance to get to his Evangelion.

He also saw pain while sitting in the warmth of a bath.   
He saw the girl who he knew as Rei Ayanami, yet, at the   
same time, wasn't Rei. He remembered all the bodies   
dissolving in the LCL as it turned blood red. He saw Mana   
Kirishima, the girl who he pondered the fate of, every day.   
He also saw the unmoving body of Asuka Langely Sohryu,   
as he opened the hatch to her entry plug. And he heard   
the venomous words she had said after she came out of   
her coma and found out that he had succeeded where she   
had failed. After that, he had left. He didn't give his former   
teammates so much as a goodbye. Luckily, it had been   
well after the last battle and the following excitement had   
dwindled down, for the most part. Not many questions had   
been raised about him wanting to leave the epicenter of   
such horrid events. As it should have been.

He had been the savior of the world, but he sure didn't   
feel like it. Now, the only person he could really talk to was   
his boss, Hikari Horaki. Hikari co-owned and operated her   
own restaurant and bar, where he worked as a cook and   
waiter and partly owned, as well. He also helped out in the   
bar once in a while.

After he left Tokyo-3, Shinji moved into an apartment in   
Tokyo-2. He paid for the apartment and high school with   
money he'd received from the TV appearances, interviews,   
public appearances, and a book about all the former NERV   
workers that he had contributed to. He most definitely   
didn't like going through all that, but he appreciated having   
the money. All the publicity made him very popular, people   
who came by the restaurant _still_ stopped to say 'thanks for   
saving the world.'

On the first day of classes, he had found out that Hikari   
and Toji were also going to the same school, and that they   
were finally going out. But, by the time high school was   
through, Toji and Hikari had broken up. Toji never got over   
his artificial limbs, and said that Hikari deserved better. He   
went on to be a salaryman for a company in Tokyo-2.   
Hikari was heartbroken, but tried her best to work past it.   
She went on to a culinary school in hopes to become a   
chef. And Shinji went to college, though he really never   
saw the point. He wanted to be prepared, just in case.

A few years passed. Shinji and Hikari met again. She   
was stuck as a cook for a local café that Shinji happened   
to come across. They spoke with each other about the   
years that passed and Hikari mentioned wanting to open   
her own restaurant. Shinji was more than happy to give her   
the money to get her started, having nothing to do with it,   
in any case.

Shinji smiled at the memories of high school and his   
friendship with Hikari. Now, he didn't have much of all that   
money left, but what he got from being part owner of the   
restaurant was plenty, even if Hikari remained the person   
in charge. He got out of the shower and toweled off. A few   
minutes later, he was changed and out the door. As he left   
the apartment building, he took a breath of the summer air   
and started off for work. He didn't notice the woman that   
had just turned onto the block from the opposite direction.

[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]

The woman walked along the sidewalk, counting off   
building numbers. She let out an excited breath as she   
finally reached the first address on her list. It was Shinji's   
current known address. She looked at the paper again.   
_Apartment 585..._ She walked into the building and headed   
right for the stairs.

She tried to picture the look on his face when he saw   
her. She shivered as she imagined him overcoming his   
shock to take her in his arms. She'd waited for so long to   
see him again and that moment was so close, she could feel   
it at the core of her very being.

As soon as she got to the fifth floor, she broke off into a   
run. She sped through the halls, scanning the number on   
each door as she passed. Eventually she got to number   
585.

Her hand trembled as it raised up to the door. She   
could feel her heart start to race as she knocked. Once.   
Twice. Three times. She waited nervously for the man she   
wanted to see so much answer the door. Seconds passed,   
then a minute, then two. "He is not home..." She   
whispered, obviously disappointed.

She shook off the lethargy of the disappointment and   
thought for a moment. After weighing the possibilities, she   
came up with the most likely explanation. _Work. He must   
be heading for work._ She scanned her list for Shinji's   
known workplace and was gone moments later.

[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]

"Ohayō gozaimasu, Ikari-san!" (Good morning, Mr.   
Ikari!)

"Ohayō, Kasumi-chan." (Morning, Kasumi.) Shinji   
answered the young waitress, who blushed a bit in return.   
She was working there in preparation for college She was   
only fifteen. Shinji thought her to be a nice girl, but she   
held him in too high of a regard. "And call me Shinji.   
Please?"

"Hai, Ikari-san." (Yes, Mr. Ikari.) She gave a short bow   
and walked off to finish preparing for the morning.

Shinji sighed as he watched Kasumi continue to take   
the chairs from the tabletops and place them on the floor.   
He shook his head. _She'll never change..._

He remembered when she'd first come to work at the   
restaurant. She was a fresh, young, bright-eyed student   
who was looking for a job to help ease the financial burden   
that college would have had on her parents. Her sunny   
disposition had been contagious. He noticed how Hikari,   
their other two waitresses, Ayaka and Reiko, and even he,   
himself, had become a little more upbeat just by being in   
such constant contact with the lively young woman.   
Eventually, he and the rest of the staff grew very fond of   
the girl.

Shinji sighed. He had been asking her to call him Shinji   
every morning for the last two weeks, but she plainly   
refused to do so. A memory from little more than a month   
prior flashed in his mind. A smile crept onto his face. _At   
least it's better than 'Ikari-sama'..._ He allowed himself a   
small chuckle as he went over to the kitchen.

"Hey, Hikari."

Hikari looked up from the chopping and turned around   
to acknowledge him. "Hi, Shinji." She answered with a   
cheerful smile before getting back to her vegetables,   
preparing for the usual morning orders.

Shinji grabbed an apron from a hook near the door. He   
went to the refrigerator to get a few ingredients ready as   
well. "How was your date last night?"

"I-It was fine." She answered, the knife in her hand   
hovering a few centimeters from the chopping block. A   
blush quickly spread through her face.

Shinji spared a glance to his partner. "That good, huh?"   
He teased.

"Be quiet, you." Hikari sent him a glare like the old days   
as the Inchou (Class Representative) of class 2-A. Shinji   
just started to laugh. "Why are you in such a good mood   
today?" She asked with a pout.

"I don't know." He shrugged. "Just feel like today's   
going to be a good day, I guess."

The kitchen door swung open, revealing a   
lavender-haired woman. "Reporting in, boss." She said   
simply. "Reiko, too."

"Alright, Ayaka." Hikari answered. "Then we'll open up   
as soon as you two are ready."

"One more thing."

"Yes?"

"Someone's here to see Ikari."

Shinji turned his head from the pot he was taking out.   
"Me?"

"Yeah."

Taking off the apron, he started for the door. Shinji   
didn't bother to ask Ayaka for any more information. She   
was a woman of few words and wouldn't give him any if   
she didn't deem it necessary, whether he was his   
employee or not. But, she was a dependable worker and   
someone he could trust.

Shinji looked out in the dining area. Sure enough, there   
was a man there. Kasumi was asking him if he'd rather sit   
and wait. Seeing Shinji's approach, the man shook his   
head 'no.'

"You Shinji Ikari?" The man asked gruffly.

Shinji stepped up to the man. "Yes." He caught a   
glimpse of movement as the man reared back and let his   
fist fly. His head snapped to the side as the blow   
connected with his jaw.

"Ikari-san!" Kasumi cried out as Shinji hit the floor. She   
was at his side in the same moment. As Shinji looked up,   
he noticed Ayaka and Reiko had also stepped in between   
him and the man with no hesitation.

"Get. Out." Ayaka said behind clenched teeth. She sent   
a deadly glare to the offender. Shinji saw that she was   
slightly shaking from suppressed rage.

"Now." Reiko added coldly, with an underlying fury in   
her eyes behind her calm demeanor. She set her feet and   
raised her hands to a ready position.

Shinji glanced between the two women, then at the girl   
beside him. He wondered, not for the first time, how he'd   
gotten such good friends.

The man pondered his situation. He'd laid out his target   
and was more than willing to continue. But, in his way was   
an innocent and caring girl cradling him and two women   
standing in between ready to defend him. _How naïve of   
them. Protecting such a man._ The first looked angry   
enough to take on a small army. The other had a passive   
anger and had fallen into a combat-ready stance. He   
weighed his options and took a course of action.

Neither woman said anything as the man turned and   
left. They didn't ask why he had done that. They already   
knew. There were plenty of cultists out there that were   
angry with NERV and it pilots for killing 'God's   
messengers.'

Reiko went to the kitchen to get Hikari while Ayaka got   
some ice from the bar.

"Are you okay, Ikari-san?" Kasumi asked. She put   
Shinji's head on her lap as she probe his jaw to see how   
badly he was hurt.

Shinji blushed at the position they were in. "I'll be fine."   
He answered, looking at the younger woman's   
amber-colored eyes. She turned away, embarrassed.

Kasumi developed her own blush as she, too, noticed   
what she was doing. "I just wish people wouldn't do that."   
She said, bringing her gaze back Shinji's face.   
"Messengers of God, or not. If it wasn't for you there   
wouldn't be anyone left..."

Shinji was about to say something to the girl, but was   
cut off by a yell in the kitchen. "What!?" The door flew open   
as Hikari stormed into the dining area. Her worry was   
clearly etched on her features. "Are you okay?"

Shinji groaned as he lifted his head from Kasumi's lap.   
"Yeah, but I guess the day isn't as good as I thought it   
would be." He said ironically.

Hikari giggled at his statement as Ayaka came back   
with a bag of ice. "Here." She said simply, tossing the ice   
pack at him.

Shinji caught it and placed it against his jaw. "Thanks."   
The woman nodded and went back what she was doing.   
As did Reiko.

"Shinji-kun. I think you should take the day off." Said   
Hikari.

Shinji knew that he shouldn't argue. Whenever she   
added the '-kun' to his name, it meant she had her mind   
made up. It would have been an exercise in futility to   
convince her to let him work. "Okay. But I think I'll go to the   
park, or something, before I head home."

"Alright. And, remember I'm coming over tonight to go   
over this month's numbers with you." Hikari went back to   
the kitchen after Shinji nodded his acknowledgement.

Kasumi lingered a moment. "See you tomorrow,   
Ikari-san." She uttered before returning to work.

"Yeah." Shinji answered before leaving.

[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]

The woman let out a thankful breath as she neared the   
restaurant. She couldn't find the place for the life of her.   
What should have been a twenty minute walk took more   
than an hour.

She took a deep breath and went through the front   
door. The morning crowd was already in, and the place   
looked busy. She took an empty table near the kitchen   
door.

A young girl with brownish, red hair and amber eyes   
approached her. "Welcome." She said cheerfully. "I don't   
think I've seen you around here before... My name's   
Kasumi, I'll be your server this morning. What would you   
like? One of our cooks is out today, so it'll take longer than   
usual to-"

"Actually," The woman interrupted as she took out her   
picture. "I'm looking for this man." She said holding it out   
so the waitress could see.

The teenager glanced at the photo. Her eyes narrowed   
as her gaze was trained on the woman. "What do you want   
with Ikari-san?" She asked accusingly.

The woman's eyes widened at the girl's tone. She   
steeled herself as she answered the girl's inquiry. "I just   
want to see him, is all. It has been years since I've spoken   
to him last."

"Oh." Kasumi blushed, clearly embarrassed by her   
behavior. "Ikari-san is the cook that's out today. He took a   
personal day."

The woman sighed. "Do you know where he might be?"

Kasumi thought for a minute. "I think he said that he   
was going to walk in the park. I'll make sure." She turned   
towards the kitchen and raised her voice. "Hikari-san?   
Where did Ikari-san say he was going?"

Hikari popped her head out of the kitchen door. "He   
was going to the park. Why?"

"Because, there's a lady here who-" Kasumi turned to   
find the chair empty. "Where?" She looked up to find the   
woman's figure heading for the door. "There." She pointed   
in the woman's direction.

Hikari watched the retreating figure. A spark of   
recognition flashed in her eyes. "Isn't that-" She shook her   
head. "It couldn't be..."

[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]

Shinji smiled as he watched the kids play in the   
playground. He was seated on a bench at the park in the   
middle of Tokyo-2. Leaning back, Shinji closed his eyes   
and turned his face skywards. Sounds of children's   
laughter rang in his ears. They were such innocent and   
happy sounds.

But, they only reminded him of his own childhood.   
Shinji violently shook his head, refusing to dwell on such   
painful memories. He'd come so far from the lonely and   
depressed boy he once was.

Hadn't he?

Of course. He had good friends now. Happy memories   
to help fight back the bad ones.

But...

He felt like something was missing. Someone to share   
his heart with. He'd long since gotten past his fear of   
getting close to people, for the most part. He was still shy   
about things like talking to women, or dating. But, it was   
easier to open up, to be prepared for the possibility.

He thought back to his times back in Tokyo-3. The   
times at the start of his time in the school when a girl   
would, once in a while, flirt with him. It overwhelmed him,   
even if it was only because he was a pilot.

He recalled his times with Rei, before the Sixteenth.   
She had mysterious aura about her. It mixed well with her   
beautiful face and soft, though cold, voice. He used to be   
able to picture himself with her, until that day. He had   
begun to fear her for her origins that day. But, following his   
move to Tokyo-2, he'd thought about it more. He slowly   
started to see her more as family. Before long, he   
whispered his apology to the winds hoping it would reach   
her beyond the grave. He also thought about sending a   
letter to the other Rei, but knew she would just be   
confused by it.

He remembered his times with Mana, the beautiful spy   
from the military who had fallen in love with him. Through   
all the happy memories of the vivacious, energetic girl, one   
memory that stuck out in his mind. His father's order to   
have her turned over to the military after she'd been found   
out. It served to compound on Shinji's hatred of his father.   
He never knew what happened to Mana or her partner,   
Musashi, after the detonation of the N2 Bomb. He   
reminisced about how she'd be around often. And he   
remembered how she felt when he wasn't able to see her   
anymore. But, he knew, somehow, that she was alive and   
well somewhere. '_Matte iru yo.'_ The last words between   
them reverberated in his thoughts. 'I will wait for you.'

He considered his times with Asuka, as well, even if   
most of the best times were when she'd insult him rather   
than hit him. Despite her arrogance, some of her words   
rang true. She _was_ one of the prettiest girls in Tokyo-3. He   
recalled some of the other nicknames she'd picked up   
other than 'Demon' from Toji and Kensuke. 'The Foreign   
Fireball,' 'The Red-haired Beauty,' and 'The Goddess of   
Flame.' He thought about what life would've been like if   
they'd ended up together. But, those visions were   
squashed that day in the hospital...

Shinji was broken from his reverie when something hit   
his leg. He looked down at his feet to find a soccer ball.

A voice rang out after he had picked it up. "Hey, Mister!   
Can you throw that ball over here?"

Shinji smiled at the child as he did so. He watched the   
kids back and forth for a while, before looking at his watch.   
It was getting late. The sun was getting ready to set. Shinji   
couldn't believe how long he'd been in the park. He got   
himself together and headed for home.

Thirty minutes later, Shinji was in his living room. The   
sun had set and he was going to go stargazing on the roof   
of his building. So, he was writing a note to Hikari, in case   
she came while he was gone. He knew that most likely that   
most of the patrons of the restaurant would be making their   
way to the bar to watch some sporting event, or other on   
TV. Hikari would be free to close up the restaurant then.   
'On the roof' was all the note said. He left his apartment,   
sticking the note on his door on the way out.

[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]

The woman let out an exasperated breath as she   
plopped down on a bench in the park. The place was a lot   
bigger than she thought. She had spent hours going   
around showing people Shinji's picture. Of course   
everyone knew _who_ it was, they just didn't know _where_ he   
was at the moment.

It had gotten dark a while ago and the only ones left in   
the park were parents who were collecting their children   
from the playground in front of her and couples seeking   
privacy in a far too public place. She looked away from   
those benches in disgust. But, of course, she wouldn't   
have any aversions to doing that with Shinji on one of   
these benches. She felt heat flash in her cheeks as   
intimate scenes played unhindered through her mind.

_Maybe, I should try his apartment again... _She thought   
to herself. The decision was made a split second after the   
thought hit her conscious mind. And she was off.

Eighteen minutes later, the woman reached the   
apartment building, breathing heavily. She took two more   
minutes to calm herself before she made for the stairs.

She saw a note stuck on his door as she approached.   
_What would Shinji-kun be doing on the roof? It can't be   
that. His psyche profile does not show any tendencies   
toward that sort of behavior anymore._ She kept her   
ruminations away from more morbid thoughts as she   
started climbing the stairs again. She quickened her pace   
as she got higher. _Because I'm excited to see him..._ She   
told herself.

[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]=======[ ]

Shinji leaned back against the railing on the roof of the   
building. The stars were slowly appearing one by one.   
Shining against the blanket of darkness. Shinji knew it   
wouldn't last long, though. It wouldn't be long until the   
lights of the city came on. But still, it was his favorite part of   
living in Tokyo-2. It always took a while after sunset for the   
city lights to come on. There was always just enough time   
to appreciate the natural lights of the sky before the   
man-made lights of the city drowned them out.

_'Man fears the darkness. And so he scratches away at   
the edges of it with fire.'_ Shinji turned around and grinned   
as he recalled the words that Rei had said that night after   
he, Asuka, and Rei defeated the Ninth Angel. It was one of   
the more pleasant memories between himself and his   
fellow pilots. He smiled as he looked out into the city.   
_Hmm, Hikari was right. I _am_ in a good mood today.   
Though, I can't see why I should be..._

Shinji was so inured in his thoughts, he didn't notice   
the nearby door open. A woman stepped out onto the roof,   
panting. She stepped forward silently, disbelieving. Shinji   
remained unaware as she reached out with a quivering   
hand towards him. She stopped a hair's breadth away from   
the man she'd sought out for the longest time. Taking a   
calming breath, she took a step back and wet her lips.   
"Shinji-kun?" She whispered.

Shinji's head snapped up at the ghost of a voice.   
Slowly, he craned his head around. When his midnight   
blue eyes met the eyes of the woman who had spoken his   
name so softly. Most of the woman's features were   
engulfed in shadow, but the soft moonlight highlighted her   
mahogany hair. Seconds passed as the light slowly played   
across her face, eventually coming to accentuate the   
turquoise color of her eyes. His breathing became rapid as   
recognition flared in his mind. Those eyes, he froze as he   
looked into the eyes he had once thought, a long time ago,   
he wouldn't be able to see again. As his lips started to   
move, he found that his mind had locked up. "M-Ma-" He   
was able to get out before his knees gave way. Their eyes   
remained fixed on each other as Shinji hit the ground. The   
woman looked at him expectantly. He rushed his brain out   
of its stupor and forced it to relearn how to speak.   
"M-Mana?"

Ecstatic, Mana flung herself at Shinji, throwing away   
her fantasies of him taking her in his arms, and wrapped   
her arms around his neck. "Shinji!" Her vision blurred as   
tears came to her eyes. She'd waited years for this   
moment, she could hardly believe it. Her arms tightened   
around Shinji, as if to keep him from leaving her.

Leaving was the farthest thing from Shinji's mind at that   
moment. But, millions of questions flooded through his   
mind. He placed his hands on her shoulders and   
reluctantly pushed away from her. She gave him a fearful   
look as he rose with a confused expression. "But-But-" He   
stuttered out. "You- Why didn't- How did-"

Mana raised herself up to him, placing a finger on his   
lips to silence him. "I'll tell you another time." She said   
looking directly at his eyes again. "Just... let me enjoy this   
moment for now." She took a step forward. Putting her   
arms around Shinji once more, she buried her face in the   
crook of his neck. As she breathed in his scent, she began   
to cry tears of joy.

Shinji stood stock-still for a moment, not knowing how   
to react. When he felt moisture touch the surface of his   
neck, where Mana's face was currently residing, his arms   
came up of their own volition. He could feel Mana smile   
against him as his arms encircled her.

They stood there in that position for a few minutes until   
Mana spoke up. "Ai shiteru, Shinji." (I love you, Shinji.")   
She murmured. "I always have. And I always will."

Shinji pulled back from the embrace. One of his hands   
came from around her back. He cupped her chin with his   
fingers and brought his face to hers. "I never knew how   
much I loved you," he whispered against her lips, "until I   
stopped seeing you next to me every day. I've missed you   
so much, Mana-chan." Gently their lips met in a kiss that   
conveyed the love for each other that had only built up   
over the years.

When they finally parted for air, they stood there, just   
staring into each other's eyes and reveling in the feeling of   
being together again. Seconds passed, then minutes.   
Then, by some silent signal, they both turned toward the   
door. Shinji's right hand tentatively captured Mana's left.   
Mana leaned her head against Shinji's shoulder. Their   
hands clasped one another at the palm, their fingers   
intertwined. As they both passed through the doorway   
leading to the stairs, a single thought passed through their   
heads at the same moment. _Reunited, at last..._

The End

Heh, I've been kicking this idea around in my head for weeks. Ever since I've heard of her, I   
wondered why there were barely any fics out there about Shinji and the only girl who had   
admitted to loving him. (Even if it was in a game outside the series) As far as I know, there is   
only one Mana/Shinji fic out there besides this one. So, I set out to do something relatively new.   
And this is the result. Though, I wonder if anyone knew it was Mana from the beginning...

I apologize if I got Mana's characterization wrong, I've never played "Girlfriend of Steel."   
(Can someone _please_ tell me where I can download it or someone I can get it from?!?) All the   
information I got was from websites about the game and inklings of her personality were few   
and far between. I also apologize if Shinji is too OOC, but remember that it's more than five   
years after the whole mess with the Angels and he's had good friends helping him heal old   
wounds. And lastly, I apologize for the ending. A bit over the top, but, heh, whatever... they're in   
love and the feelings only grew over time.

Now that I'm done tearing down my own meager self-confidence talking and thinking about my   
bad writing, you can go and find a better read elsewhere. But, leave me a review first, please! ^_^


End file.
